Vehicle tire frictional drive rotational power and energy source

Abstract

The tire friction drive rotational power and energy source provides a means of harvesting energy from a rotating tire of a vehicle in motion with minimal energy impact on vehicle power source. Rotational inertia or energy is transferred from one or more tires through friction to turn an energy producing device, such as an alternator. The alternator tire (cylindrical roller) makes contact with one or more vehicle tires for energy transfer, rotating via a shaft equipped with roller bearings with the shaft connected to the alternator pulley, thereby harvesting energy while the vehicle is in motion. In the primary embodiment, the harvested energy is used to power an accessory in any powered vehicle regardless of the energy source. An alternative embodiment deploys the harvested energy to potentially extend the range of an electric vehicle.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A method of harvesting energy from a wheel of a moving vehicle, said method comprising:
 a. capturing rotational energy of said wheel of a moving vehicle; and   b. providing and controlling power to a vehicle accessory, said power using said captured rotational energy.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising using said captured power to extend driving range of said moving vehicle, said moving vehicle being an electric vehicle. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said moving vehicle may be an electric vehicle, a hybrid, a gasoline powered vehicle, or an alternative energy powered vehicle. 
     
     
         4 . A system for harvesting energy from a first wheel of a moving vehicle, said system comprising:
 a. a mechanism for capturing rotational energy of said first wheel of a moving vehicle; and   b. a device for providing and controlling power to a vehicle accessory, said power using said captured rotational energy.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein said device for providing and controlling power is adaptable to extend driving range of said moving vehicle, said moving vehicle being an electric vehicle. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein said moving vehicle may be an electric vehicle, a hybrid, a gasoline powered vehicle, or an alternative energy powered vehicle. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein said rotational energy of said first wheel of said moving vehicle drives an alternator tire, said alternator tire in turn driving an alternator. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 4 , further comprising a mechanism for capturing rotational energy of a second wheel of said moving vehicle, and said device for providing and controlling power to said vehicle accessory, said power using said captured rotational energy. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein energy produced is used to power vehicle telematics with no parasitic loss on said vehicle engine, thereby increasing fuel economy. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein energy produced is used to power electric power steering, brakes and other components normally powered via a crankshaft of an engine. 
     
     
         11 . A method of harvesting energy from a wheel of a moving vehicle, said method comprising:
 a. capturing rotational energy of said wheel of a moving vehicle; and   b. using said captured power to extend driving range of said moving vehicle, said moving vehicle being an electric vehicle.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising using said captured power to charge a first battery unit while said vehicle is being powered by a second battery unit.